1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in solar heating devices and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a solar heating device for use with mobile homes, and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The economy and energy conservation properties of solar heating devices is well known, and there is much activity in the industry for improving the efficiency and practical aspects of these devices. There are many types of construction wherein the application of solar heating units has been inadequate, such as a mobile home, or the like. These buildings are increasing in use as a permanent home due to the economy in the housing market, and the need for economical heating in the mobile home industry is great. The overall external dimensions of these homes vary greatly, of course, some being relatively small, while others have reached such sizes that the mobility thereof is almost non-existent. As a result, it appears that some type of modular solar equipment would lend itself to use in combination with mobile home construction, particularly since there is usually considerable usable space beneath the mobile home and above the surface of the ground upon which the mobile home is situated.
There have been many patents directed to solar heating apparatus for generally similar purposes, such as residential use, and the like. For example, the Harder U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,741 issued Oct. 27, 1981, and entitled "Solar Energy Collecting Panel Assembly" discloses a solar energy collecting panel including a cover constructed of a high light transmission sheet material orientated in the direction of the sun, and a plurality of side-by-side solar energy collector plate members disposed on a blanket beneath the sheet to direct heated air toward a discharge pipe. A blower carries the hot or heated air from the discharge pipe into the interior of a room, or the like, and the cool air is withdrawn from the room and returned to the area of the blanket through an inlet pipe.
The Hanson U.S. Pat. No. 4,314,548, issued Feb. 9, 1982, and entitled "Solar Collector" shows a solar collector having an angularly disposed plastic bag wrapped around a heat absorbing panel. A corrugated element is disposed beneath the heat absorbing panel and directs the heated air upwardly toward a flexible duct which is connected with an air exhaust manifold. The hot air is drawn into a room by a fan and the cold air is returned through an air inlet and duct. The Ryan et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,278,072, issued July 14, 1981, and entitled "Forced Air Solar Heating System" shows a plurality of solar heating modules disposed in an end-to-end relation with the partitions interposed therebetween being ported for transmitting the hot air between the adjacent units.
Other U.S. patents generally relating to solar heating apparatus of a type as hereinbefore set forth are Morse U.S. Pat. No. 246,626, issued Sept. 6, 1881, and entitled "Warming and Ventilating Apartments by the Sun's Rays;" Keyes et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,984,685, issued July 15, 1975, and entitled "Solar Heating System;" Keyes et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,720, issued Mar. 30, 1976, and entitled "Solar Heat Collector;" Keyes et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,721, issued Mar. 30, 1976, and entitled "Method of Collecting and Storing Solar Heat;" O'Hanlon U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,678, issued June 22, 1976, and entitled "Solar Air Conditioner;" Cook U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,133, issued Sept. 6, 1977, and entitled "Solar Panel Assembly for Fluid Heating and Method;" Grisbrook U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,565, issued Oct. 24, 1978, and entitled "Solar Heating Unit;" Olsen U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,532, issued Nov. 17, 1981, and entitled "Method and Apparatus for Collecting Solar Energy;" Fodor U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,449, issued Feb. 23, 1982, and entitled "Solar Heater;" and Levine U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,452, issued Feb. 23, 1982, and entitled "Solar Collector." All of these devices have certain disadvantages, however, and are particularly disadvantageous for use in combination with a mobile hometype structure in that many are of a relatively complicated construction, and are relatively expensive and difficult to install in such an installation.